Fireworks- how do we deal with breaking the law?

[Shadowboy]

So- we have two aborted foals. Neighbours directly behind the farm set off fireworks without warning us. The neighbours property is approx 80 metres from the livestock barn. Sadly by the time we realised what was going on they were full pelt. We couldn’t use sedation as the gestation of the horse’s meant it would need to be a special sedative administered by the vet- by the time the vet arrived they were already labouring. Both foals (due March) have obviously died. The mares are in a bad way. The law states releasing fireworks near livestock is liable to a £20,000 fine. I’m trying to decide if it’s worth legally dealing with this? When asked last night the neighbours would not stop as they “had guests” and it was “our right to enjoy our garden” as they put it. I’m devastated. These were our first foals.

I think the neighbours did this purposefully because we had purchased the 6 acre paddock behind our/their house when it went up for sale in January. It went via auction and we outbid them so I’m wondering if a legal approach will make matters worse?

[LavenderDoll]

That's awful. The poor horses and how devastating for you.
They should be prosecuted
How anyone can put their happiness over the wellbeing of animal it sickens me

[Auspiciouspanda]

Poor horsies 😞 I hate that the idiotic public have access. People have been letting them all week here and my rabbits are terrified 😞

[Ahhh1234]

Hope the police help you today and you get some justice. What cruel people your neighbours are

[CatastropheKate]

I'd do a facebook photo/post, grim as they are. A brief explanation of what happened, and a couple of graphic photographs. It won't help you, but set it to public, ask your friends to share, and hopefully it might just save someone else's foal next year.

[Beerwench]

Someone linked this thread from another. I'm so sorry for your loss and for your mares distress and yours.
I do hope the police take this seriously, could the BHS possibly also help with some advice?

[Nothingrhymeswithfamily]

I am so so so sorry
Thats horrific.
Please take this further so they realise the consequences of their twattishness. I think alot of these idiots bumble through without realising what they actually do to others.

I still don't understand why these things aren't licensed and not for home use.

I don't have anything useful to add but i couldn't read without posting just how sorry i am. How utterly heartbreaking.

[Ifearthecold]

I am really sorry for your loss. When you went and spoke to them they should have stopped. I just wanted to put the other side a little. My dh is very keen on firework, not something I share and has a firework display in our garden/wood. It wouldn't have occurred to either of us that we were breaking the law as the display was totally in our space. Our boundary does have livery fields on one side. Ignorance of the law is no defense but I lived in the country all my life and my wider family own horses and this has never come up. So I wouldn't start by assuming it was deliberate on your neighbors part or that they had any idea it was against the law. You have every right to persue this if you wish to but I can only imagine it would start a significant issue with your neighbors. I really don't want to be uncaring but just wanted to mention it maybe isn't that well known and fireworks are normal at legal in most settings.

[HelenaDove]

OP im so so sorry to hear about your horses and the foals.

Those poor animals.

How bloody selfish of your neighbours.

[endofthelinefinally]

Fireworks still going full pelt here.
We have had them every single night since Diwali. No sign of it stopping any time soon. Sigh.

[MidniteScribbler]

It wouldn't have occurred to either of us that we were breaking the law as the display was totally in our space.

Surely you can't be this self absorbed as to not realise that fireworks are bloody loud and are going to effect your neighbours?

[Fluffypinkpyjamas]

No advice as such great advice already given but wanted to say I’m so sorry. I hope they are punished as much as legally possible and made to feel as wretched as they clearly are.

[Lordasriel]

We’ve had fireworks every night for over a week now from all our close neighbours. Our stables are very near to an estate and every day we pick up rocket sticks paddocks. Nobody has ever knocked to tell us they are planning on fireworks.

[FireCracker2]

Sorry for your horses, but the law is designed to punish those who think it's funny to scare livestock witless by throwing fireworks in the middle of them.
Neighbours 80m away on their own land are not going to come under this.

[worridmum]

Firecracker yes they are please dont talk rot on the legal section people have been charged for having a firework display (private) next to a farm with a cowshed 90 meters away totally in the own land but didnt inform farmer and caused 80+ cows to miscarriage and let me tell you the people who had the display had to pay the value of what the cavles would of been if they had lived plus the vet bills and loss of earnings think in the region of 100k (i cannot remeber exact numbers) they had to remorgeage there house to pay...

[ChardonnaysPrettySister]

Did you mean to use this specific name here, FireCracker?

Bad taste, if so.

[Shadowboy]

Thanks all for the support!! Police came yesterday and I gave the details and showed the photos: videos on my phone. Apparently they spoke to the neighbours about the event but the Husband stated that they had never had problems before (always been horses on the land) so they didn’t think it was a problem and that my horses must be overly sensitive. I’m not really sure where we go from here.

The vet returned yesterday and both mares are physically fine. One is completely normal, the maiden is still subdued but starting to eat properly again.

I’m not sure I have the strength to fight this legally. It’s really ruined having horses at home for me. It was a dream that we worked so hard for and now I feel like it’s all bittersweet- we have to use the track past the neighbours to get to the stable block every day and I loath the thought of seeing that man. (They have been very hidden away since Saturday’s events)

[ArcheryAnnie]

Shadowboy I don't know where you go from there, either, but I hope it's somewhere. Don't give up your dream!

I'm a bit (more than a bit) sceptical at the "they didn't think it was a problem" line as you told them in advance that it was a problem, and it did indeed prove to be a massive problem, they just didn't give a shit. (And I also wonder if there's been previous complaints about them, if there's always horses there.)

Have you tried getting the RSPCA involved at all? Because they might take some of the work on. I have no idea if they will, just might be worth asking.

so they didn’t think it was a problem and that my horses must be overly sensitive. I’m not really sure where we go from here.

[Nothingrhymeswithfamily]

Did the police tell them the horses had lost their foals?

[Eve]

small claims court for the expenses incurred and lost.

[Beerwench]

I can understand why you would feel like you don't want to follow through with this.
Who's horses were in the field prior to yours? Or were they yours in the past?
I'd be worried though that new years eve is going to be another occasion where they will want to 'enjoy' their garden and after this traumatic experience at the weekend, your mares are going to be even more stressed with fireworks. Can you, and do you want to, move them? The impression I'm getting from you about your neighbours is that you won't get far if you go and speak to them and ask if they could refrain from future fireworks due the there being horses on the land behind, after what's happened this weekend. Also understand that you might not want to. I'd urge you to get some legal advice, possibly from an equestrian specialist solicitor if you can and see where you stand.
How have the police left it? Are they not taking further action because of what the neighbour said?

[FireCracker2]

Link please worridmum or I call bollocks as does dh who is a bovine vet

[worridmum]

It was a cilent of my last company that took the offenders to court when i get home i will try to find a local paper link.

[worridmum]

Dont let them get away with it or they have won and you cannot let bullies win, if you go to court it would be a near open and shut cases as they were in the wrong you have evidence of loss they would have no defence as even the law is on your side.

[Farahilda]

"the Husband stated that they had never had problems before (always been horses on the land) so they didn’t think it was a problem and that my horses must be overly sensitive"

Wouid that count as an admission of a pattern of committing this offence?